Chapter 53 of 100

Chapter 53

14 min read3,494 words

"However, I won't do anything excessive," Zhang Han continued, "All of you have considerable land, and with the yellow and white lists, the burden is heavy. I understand this. Now, there's a way for you to collect your own grain. No matter how much you collect, whether it's from your own fields or elsewhere, you can bring it all to me. I will sell it uniformly, and the amount of grain you bring will count as your share of the capital. At the end of the year, after the grain is sold, I will distribute the profits to you based on your contribution."

Zhang Han's proposal left everyone staring at each other, unsure of what to say.

After a while, Ma Chao said, "If we collect grain now and store it without selling, by July, when the summer tax is almost over, the price of grain will be around five cash. By October, when the autumn tax is due, the price will rise to six cash. After the New Year, during the spring famine, the price will reach eight cash. This means a profit of at least four cash per dan. How much profit can we expect from you, Young Master?"

"Since Mr. Ma puts it this way," Zhang Han replied, "I can guarantee at least three cash per dan."

He added, "This also saves you the trouble of storing the grain. I and Yusheng can pay you the cost upfront, and you can use this money for other investments to earn more. There's no risk involved."

With this, Yusheng's sincerity was evident.

Everyone in the room, including Ma Chao, began to whisper to each other, creating a buzzing noise like a swarm of flies.

Zhang Han smiled and sipped his tea, waiting for them to deliberate.

Liang Xing, standing behind him, whispered, "Master, you really know how to flatter these dogs. They squeeze the people for their blood and sweat, and then act all righteous, saying they are in debt. These people have black hearts and rotten guts. They deserve to have their children beaten and their wives toyed with. Yet, you want to help them get rich. What are you thinking, Master?"

Zhang Han almost burst out laughing, his stomach aching from holding it in. He turned and warned Liang Xing, "You're getting more and more out of line. Be careful with your words."

"Master, you must think the same way as I do."

"True, but we can't always do things as we wish. Otherwise, everything would be in chaos." Zhang Han intended to guide Liang Xing. Seeing that Ma Chao and his group were still discussing, he whispered, "These people are the local snakes of Tiancheng Wei. Some are juren and some are xiucai. If we push them too hard, they might fight back, and Yusheng's reputation will be damaged. We can't just use force. If we do, they might rebel, and in the future, they could cause trouble for me. Secondly, the real big fish are the Fan and Kang families, as well as the imperial relatives and eunuchs. Yusheng's foundation is still not strong enough. If we anger the local snakes and then face a strong dragon, we'll be in big trouble. Since we can't swallow them, it's better to let them get rich with us and form a united front. Thirdly, this is a model. In Zhenlu Wei, Yanghe Wei, Datong, and other places, as well as Wuzhou and Shuozhou, and even further south in Taiyuan and north in Zhili, we have many places to collect grain. This is just an example. Following me, you'll not only have soup to drink but also meat to eat. Do you understand, boy?"

Liang Xing, who was much older than Zhang Han, nodded frequently, his eyes shining, clearly taking it to heart.

Zhang Han nodded in satisfaction. No wonder this man was a leader; his mind was sharp, though he lacked education. However, this was something Zhang Han could help with.

"Master Zhang," after a long discussion, Ma Chao stood up, his face full of smiles, "We are willing to cooperate with you, but we have some concerns..."

"Are you worried that I will break my promise, Mr. Ma and the other masters?" Zhang Han smiled. "Yusheng is a decades-old brand, and I have my integrity."

Ma Chao was a bit embarrassed, rubbing his hands, unsure how to respond.

Originally, everyone should have trusted Zhang Han. In this era, merchants often did business based on trust, even though some had written agreements. It was hard for people from the future to imagine, but the Ming Dynasty was a society based on trust. People could buy on credit from various shops near their homes and settle accounts during the three festivals. Paying in cash was seen as a lack of trust and a serious insult to the shopkeeper. Business cooperation was also based on trust, with few written agreements. Of course, there were those who defaulted, but such people would lose their credibility and find it hard to continue in business, often losing not just their own reputation but also that of their family for generations. The cost was very high.

For a brand like Yusheng, people wouldn't have worried, but Zhang Han was so young and had such strong backing. They now realized they couldn't compete with Zhang Han and his supporters. The commander of Tiancheng Wei was clearly not supporting them, making it clear how powerful Zhang Han was.

The severe imbalance made Ma Chao and others very cautious.

Zhang Han said, "How about this: I will establish a chamber of commerce, and you will all become shareholders. If you collect 500,000 dan of grain annually, you can become a board member and participate in the management. The profits will be much higher. The chamber will be called the Yusheng Grain Purchase and Sales Chamber of Commerce. We will have written agreements. What do you think?"

Ma Chao listened intently and was the first to respond, "Very good, I am willing to join."

"I am also willing to join," said Jiang Da.

"I am willing to join," said Zhang Da.

"I am willing to join," said another.

"I am also willing to join," said another.

The grain merchants present did at least ten thousand dan of business annually, with operations in Tiancheng, Yanghe, and other places. Tiancheng was a key area for grain transportation between Xinping and Datong, making the grain business very important. When Zhang Han ordered Li Yuchun to collect grain, Tiancheng was the first to react.

After their responses, the atmosphere in the hall became lively. They had shifted from enemies to allies, and the feeling was different.

Ma Chao, holding a cup of wine, was the first to approach Zhang Han, raising a toast. "Master Zhang, 'heroes emerge young.' You are truly remarkable. I have only one warning: be cautious of the Fan family."

Zhang Han knew the Fan family had a large branch in Tiancheng and smaller collection points elsewhere, covering at least half of Shanxi. They were wealthy and powerful, and their business practices were not always upright. During the late Ming, they smuggled goods to the Later Jin, and the most successful were the Fan family and other Shanxi merchants. In the Shunzhi and Kangxi eras, these merchants became imperial suppliers, enjoying wealth and prosperity for generations.

Zhang Han's main goal was to take their smuggling business. Grain was just the biggest part. If he succeeded, it would be like choking the Fan family and taking away their two hundred years of fortune. What was this small matter compared to that?

However, he was also wary. Everyone said to be cautious of the Fan family, and he had been on guard for the past six months, but why had the Fan family not made any moves? Why?

Now, Zhang Han felt like a guest waiting for the second shoe to drop. The longer it took, the more he hoped the Fan family would make a move.

"Thank you, Mr. Ma," Zhang Han bowed, smiling sincerely.

The other masters also began to approach, and Zhang Han drank with them, showing great generosity. After drinking, he glanced at Yang Qiu, who understood and soon brought in the families of the merchants.

"A small prank, please don't be angry, masters."

The bound people had not been mistreated, and the last bit of resentment in the masters' hearts dissipated. Jiang Da, hugging his beautiful concubine, saw that she was unharmed and felt relieved. He smiled at Zhang Han, "If not for your methods, we might not have been convinced. Now, following you, we will all get rich. This is truly a case of 'turning misfortune into fortune'!"

Everyone laughed, and Zhang Han, looking at the two beautiful women, could not help but laugh as well.

...

Zhang Han planned to have Li Yuchun handle the details of the cooperation and the written agreements.

In this incident, the one who lost the most credibility was not Yusheng but Li Yuchun, who represented Yusheng in Tiancheng. As a veteran of over ten years, many recognized him as the second-in-command of Yusheng in Xinping. During the turmoil, Li Yuchun was trapped in the store for over ten days, and even the peasants who previously dared not speak to him now dared to call him by name and curse him for breaking his word. This was a devastating blow to a diligent and confident businessman. According to Yang Qiu, Li Yuchun had lost his appetite and sleep, and Yang Qiu had assigned people to watch him to prevent him from committing suicide.

After reaching an agreement with the masters, Zhang Han rode to Tiancheng, with Yang Qiu and a few others following. Liang Xing stayed behind to handle the aftermath. The hired guards, if not needed, could be sent to other places as needed. Over the past ten days, several local snakes had retaliated in various areas. In a few forts, the mule and horse markets and account offices were harassed. In Pingyuan Fort, near the East Store, a dozen guards fought a group of thirty thugs, killing two and injuring a few. The dead were carried away, but they were driven off by Yusheng's people. The branch manager then negotiated with the families and compensated them with silver.

Even if they had really caused a commotion, the local officials and censors were military men who cared little for face. As long as they were paid, they would not intervene, even if the entire family of the victims was killed. Of course, Yusheng acted with restraint. If they really did that, the bribes would be much higher, and it would not be worth it.

The issue in Tiancheng was resolved, but Li Yuchun's problem was significant. As they approached the city gate, Zhang Han gave a few instructions to Yang Qiu, who then rode ahead to the city.

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